Certain carbonaceous products of sugar fermentation are seen as replacements for petroleum-derived materials for use as feedstocks for the manufacture of carbon-containing chemicals. One such product is MAA. Another such product is AA. Given such a process for the direct production of substantially pure MAA from a DAA, MAA, and/or AA-containing fermentation broth and the possible use of such pure MAA as a source material for the production of CL, it could be helpful to provide processes for producing CL and derivatives thereof in an economic and environmentally friendly way.